Handheld electronic device providing confirmation of input, and associated method

ABSTRACT

A letter confirmation system is provided on a handheld electronic device. The letter confirmation provides highlighting of various letters that have been input to the handheld electronic device during a string of member input actuations. The letter confirmation system can additionally provide predictive linguistic elements that would be appropriate next inputs. Various types of highlights can be provided in various combinations to provide various indications to a user.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/617,877, filed Dec. 29, 2006 (currently pending), the disclosure ofwhich is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The disclosed and claimed concept relates generally to handheldelectronic devices and, more particularly, to a handheld electronicdevice that provides a confirmation of a linguistic input.

2. Description of the Related Art

Numerous types of handheld electronic devices are known. Examples ofsuch handheld electronic devices include, for instance, personal dataassistants (PDAs), handheld computers, two-way pagers, cellulartelephones, and the like. Many handheld electronic devices also featurea wireless communication capability, although many such handheldelectronic devices are stand-alone devices that are functional withoutcommunication with other devices.

Due to the small size of many handheld electronic devices, and due tothe fact that users of handheld electronic devices typically can devoteonly a limited amount of attention to operating the device, as well asother factors, a user's operation of a handheld electronic devicetypically is prone to mistakes. The situation is exacerbated in the caseof text input on a handheld electronic device when an input device suchas a keypad is physically separated and/or spaced from an output devicesuch as a display, which is often the case. That is, a user enteringtext using a keypad oftentimes must shift his or her attention from thekeypad to the display in order to confirm that the intended input wasactually correctly input into the handheld electronic device. Such ashifting in attention is particularly problematic since, as mentionedabove, a user typically can devote only a limited amount of attention toa handheld electronic device, such as when the user is trying to carryon a conversation with another person or is operating another devicewhile using the handheld electronic device. It thus would be desired toprovide an improved handheld electronic device and method that overcomethese and other shortcomings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

A full understanding of the disclosed and claimed concept can be gainedfrom the following Description when read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an improved handheld electronicdevice in accordance with the disclosed and claimed concept after afirst string of input member actuations;

FIG. 2 is a schematic depiction of the handheld electronic device ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1, except depicting the handheldelectronic device after an additional input member actuation;

FIG. 3A is a view similar to FIG. 3, except depicting an additionalfeature on the handheld electronic device;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1, except depicting the handheldelectronic device after an additional input member actuation;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 except depicting the handheldelectronic device after still another input member actuation;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 1, except depicting the handheldelectronic device after a string of input member actuations when a focusof the handheld electronic device is on a password input field; and

FIG. 7 is a flowchart depicting an exemplary method in accordance withthe disclosed and claimed concept that can be executed on the handheldelectronic device of FIG. 1.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the specification.

DESCRIPTION

An improved handheld electronic device 2 in accordance with thedisclosed and claimed concept is depicted generally in FIGS. 1 and 3-6and is depicted schematically in FIG. 2. The handheld electronic device2 comprises a processor apparatus 4 and an interface apparatus 8disposed on a housing 10.

The processor apparatus 4 comprises a processor 12 and a memory 16 inelectronic communication. The processor 12 can be any of a wide varietyof processors such as, without limitation, a microprocessor (μP) that isresponsive to input from the interface apparatus 8 and that providesoutput signals to the interface apparatus 8. The memory 16 can be any ofa wide variety of memory structures such as, without limitation, RAM,ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, FLASH, and/or other memory structures that functionin a fashion similar to an internal storage area of a computer and thatcan be either volatile or nonvolatile.

The memory 16 has stored therein a plurality of language objects 18 anda plurality of frequency objects 20. The language objects 18 aregenerally each in the form of a word in the described exemplaryembodiment, and each comprise a number of linguistic elements that arealso stored in the memory 16. As employed herein, the expression “anumber of” and variations thereof shall refer broadly to any nonzeroquantity, including a quantity of one. The linguistic elements are, inthe present exemplary embodiment, in the form of Latin letters 24. Eachlanguage object 18 is associated with a frequency object 20, and theassociated frequency object 20 has a frequency value which, in thepresent exemplary embodiment, is indicative of the relative frequencywith which the particular language object 18 appears in a givenlinguistic corpus.

The memory 16 additionally has stored therein a number of routines 26,including a disambiguation routine 26. The routines 26 are executable bythe processor 12 and can be in the nature of software, firmware, and thelike, for example and without limitation.

The interface apparatus 8 can be said to comprise an input portion 28and an output portion 32. In the present exemplary embodiment, theinterface apparatus 8 comprises a touch screen 34 and a navigationkeypad 36. The input portion 28 can be said to comprise a detectingcomponent of the touch screen 34 and the navigation keypad 36. Forinstance, the detecting component is structured to detect a touchactuation or other type of physical interaction with the touch screen 34and to provide an input to the processor apparatus 4 in a known fashion.The output portion 32 can be said to comprise a display component of thetouch screen 34.

The input portion 28 of the touch screen 34 can be said to be a regionof the touch screen 34 where a user can provide linguistic input to theprocessor apparatus 4 by interacting with the touch screen 34. The inputportion 28 comprises a virtual keypad 40 comprising a plurality ofvirtual keys 42 on the touch screen 34. More specifically, each virtualkey 42 can be said to comprise a particular region of the touch screen34 that is touch actuatable or can receive another physical interactionthat is detectable by the detecting component to provide an input to theprocessor apparatus 4. Each such virtual key 42 has a number of theletters 24 assigned thereto, with most having two letters 24 assignedthereto. For instance, one of the virtual keys 42 has the letters 24<TY> assigned thereto, and another virtual key 42 has the letters 24<ER> assigned thereto. The letters 24 that are assigned to anyparticular visual key 42 are depicted by the display component of thetouch screen 34 in the vicinity of the input portion 28.

The virtual keypad 40 further includes a <SPACE> key 48 that isactuatable to provide a finalization input to the processor apparatus 4and to insert a <SPACE> into text. In one exemplary embodiment, such afinalization input results in the outputting of a word at a text inputlocation in the output portion 32 and a clearing of a stored string ofinput member actuations. The virtual keys 42, the <SPACE> key 48, andother keys in the virtual keypad 40 each comprise an input member thatis actuatable to provide an input to the processor apparatus 4. Thevirtual keys 42 can each be said to constitute a linguistic inputmember.

In the exemplary embodiment depicted herein, many of the virtual keys 42each have a plurality of the letters 24 assigned thereto. An actuationof a particular virtual key 42 is an input member actuation which beginsor is added to a string of input member actuations. The letters 24 ofthe virtual keys 42 of such a string of input member actuations are usedby the disambiguation routine 26 to identify one or more languageobjects 18 that correspond with the input, i.e., the string of inputmember actuations. That is, a language object 18 can be said tocorrespond with an input, i.e., a string of input member actuations, ifthe letters 24 of at least an initial portion of the language object 18are sequentially consistent with a possible permutation of the letters24 assigned to the virtual keys 42 that were actuated to form the stringof input member actuations.

Since many of the virtual keys 42 have a plurality of the letters 24assigned thereto, and an actuation of any such virtual key 42 could beintended by a user to be an input of any one of the letters 24 assignedto such key 42, the virtual keypad 40 can be said to be in the form of areduced keyboard. The exemplary arrangement of the letters 24 is that ofa QWERTY format, and the virtual keypad 40 thus can be said to be areduced QWERTY keyboard. It is noted, however, that the teachings hereincan be employed in conjunction with arrangement of the letters 24 otherthan in a QWERTY or reduced QWERTY format. Moreover, it is noted thatthe virtual keypad 40 need not be virtual in nature provided by a touchscreen 34, and instead could be provided in the form of a mechanical orother type of keyboard without departing from the present concept.

The display component of the touch screen 34 additionally displays inthe input portion 28 a plurality of elongated separators 50 disposedbetween adjacent columns of the virtual keys 42. As such, the exemplaryvirtual key 42 <DF> is the region of the detecting component of thetouch screen 34 that extends horizontally (from the perspective ofFIG. 1) between one pair of adjacent separators 50 and extendsvertically between the virtual key 42 <ER> and the vertical key 42 <CV>.Moreover, the display component of the touch screen 34 provides in theoutput portion 32 a text input component 52 and a variant component 56.During text entry, the exemplary disambiguation routine 26 operates byidentifying one or more language objects 18 that correspond with astring of input member actuations. One of the identified languageobjects 18 is identified as being a default language object 18. In thedepicted exemplary embodiment, the default language object 18 typicallywill be the identified language object 18 having associated therewiththe frequency object 20 having the relatively highest frequency valuefrom among the frequency objects 20 of the other identified languageobjects 18. More language objects 18 than merely the default languageoutput 18 typically are identified by the disambiguation routine 26,although this need not always be the case.

An initial portion of the default language object 18 identified for astring of member input actuations is output as a default output 58within the variant component 56. Initial portions of one or more otheridentified language objects 18, if any, may be output as variant outputs60 within the variant component 56. A selection box 64 surrounds orotherwise highlights the default output 58. The default output 58additionally is output at the text input component 52 at the location ofa cursor 44. The cursor 44 indicates a location on the output portion 32where additional text will be output responsive to another input memberactuation. It is noted that the selection box 64 can be shifted by theuser to one of the variant outputs 60 if such variant output 60 is theoutput intended by the user as a result of a string of input memberactuations. In this regard, it is understood that the default output 58is at least an initial portion of the identified language object 18having the highest frequency value, and it is further understood thatthe variant outputs 60 are initial portions of other identified languageobjects 18 that are output in order of decreasing frequency value of thefrequency objects 20 associated therewith.

The handheld electronic device 2 advantageously provides a letterconfirmation system that provides highlighting in the input portion 28of various letters 24 of virtual keys 42 that have been actuated duringa text input procedure. The letter confirmation system can also be saidto provide a predictive feature whereby one or more letters 24 can behighlighted in the input portion 28 as each being a predictivelinguistic element that would constitute valid textual additionimmediately following an entered string of input member actuations.

FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary output on the touch screen 34 responsive toa string of actuations of the virtual keys 42 <TY> <GH> <ER>. A languageobject 18 corresponding with the word “the” has been identified ascorresponding with the string of member input actuations and as havingthe highest frequency value associated therewith. In this regard, it isnoted that in certain circumstances an identified language object 18that corresponds with a string of input member actuations and that has aquantity of letters 24 equal to the quantity of input member actuationsmay be identified as the default language object 18 despite otheridentified language objects 18 that have relatively higher frequencyvalues associated therewith but that have more letters 24 than thenumber of input member actuations in the string.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, the letters 24 assigned to the virtual keys42 that were actuated in inputting the string of input member actuationsof FIG. 1 and that are consistent with the initial letters 24 of thedefault output 58 are highlighted in the input portion 28 with a firsthighlighting 66. The exemplary first highlighting 66 is depicted asbeing a box drawn around a letter 24. The exemplary first highlighting66 is indicative of each such highlighted letter 24 being considered bythe disambiguation routine 26 to be the default accepted letter 24interpretation of the actuation of the virtual key 42 to which suchletter 24 is assigned.

The letter 24 that is assigned to the virtual key 42 of the most recentinput member actuation, i.e., the current input member actuation, andthat is consistent with a sequentially correspondingly positioned letter24 in the default output 58, i.e., the final letter 24 of the defaultoutput 58, is considered to be a current linguistic element 68 which, inFIG. 1, is the letter 24 “E”. In order to further bring the currentlinguistic element 68 to the attention of the user, the currentlinguistic element 68 additionally has second highlighting 72 appliedthereto in the exemplary form of a relatively greater degree ofbrightness than the other letters 24 as highlighted with the firsthighlight 66 in the input portion 28.

In this regard, such a brightening can be accomplished directly, such asby increasing the brightness of the current linguistic element 68 on thetouch screen 34, or indirectly, such as by decreasing the brightness ofall of the elements on the touch screen 34 other than the currentlinguistic element 68. For instance, if the display component of thetouch screen 34 is an LCD screen, the indirect approach to increasingthe brightness of the current linguistic element 68 might be requiredsince LCDs are known to have limitations regarding increasing thebrightness thereof. As such, depending upon the capabilities of thedisplay component, the exemplary relatively greater degree of brightnessmight instead be provided by an altered color of the current linguisticelement 68 and/or a thicker box of first highlighting 66 around thecurrent linguistic element 68 and/or a pulsing of the current linguisticelement 68, for example.

It can be seen that the letter “E” in FIG. 1 has two different types ofhighlighting applied thereto simultaneously, i.e., the firsthighlighting 66 and the second highlighting 72. Other letters 24 in theinput portion 28 have no highlighting applied thereto. In the exampledepicted in FIG. 1, the first highlighting 66 confirms to a user theletters 24 of the default interpretation of a series of input memberactuations without requiring the user to look at the output portion 32.The second highlighting 72 serves to identify to the user the letter 24that is the current linguistic element 68, i.e., the preferred letter 24of the most recently actuated virtual key 42. Such dual highlightingadvantageously helps to inform the user of the currently proposeddefault interpretation of a string of actuations of virtual keys 42, andfurther provides to the user a confirmation of the most recently inputletter 24 to mentally assist the user in inputting additional letters24.

It is further noted from FIG. 1 that the letters 24 “R” and “N” arehighlighted with third highlighting 76 to indicate that such letters 24are predictive linguistic elements 74. Such third highlighting 76 isdepicted in the exemplary form of angled hatching and is indicative ofwhat would be an appropriate immediately next input. For instance, theletter 24 “N” is provided as a predictive linguistic element 74 to helpthe user enter, for instance, the word “then” by actuating the key 42<BN> immediately after the string of input member actuations <TY> <GH><ER>. The letter 24 “R” is provided as a predictive linguistic element74 in the event that the user wanted to enter the word “there”, whichcould be partially accomplished by actuating the virtual key 42 <ER>immediately after the string of input member actuations <TY> <GH> <ER>.Such predictive linguistic elements 74 can be identified from thelanguage objects 18 in the memory 16. It thus can be seen that thepredictive linguistic elements 74 are provided as indications of thenext virtual keys 42 that can be actuated in order to input particularlanguage objects 18.

It is noted that the <SPACE> key 48 has likewise received thirdhighlighting 76 in order to indicate that its actuation would likewisebe appropriate immediately after the series of actuations of the virtualkeys 42 <TY> <GH> <ER>. That is, the default output 58 “the” is itself acomplete word, and an actuation of the <SPACE> key 48 would provide afinalization input that would accept the default output 58, would outputthe default 58 as a completed word in the text input component 52, andwould clear the existing stored string of input member actuations inorder to make way for future input member actuations of another textinput.

As can further be seen from FIG. 1, the letter 24 “R” additionally hasfourth highlighting 80 applied thereto. Such fourth highlighting 80 isdepicted in the form of angled hatching and is indicative of thepredictive linguistic element 74 “R” having a relatively higher priorityor frequency value than the predictive linguistic element 74 “N”. Thatis, the letter 24 “R” is output as a predictive linguistic element 74that is relatively more likely to be intended by the user than theletter 24 “N”. Such a determination can be made from the language object80 and/or the frequency objects 20 in the memory 16.

As mentioned above, the fourth highlighting 80 is represented herein bythe exemplary angled hatching in FIG. 1. The exemplary thirdhighlighting 76 is represented herein by the exemplary angled hatchingoriented in a different direction than the hatching of the fourthhighlighting 80. It is noted that the exemplary representation of thethird and fourth highlightings 76 and 80 as being angled hatchings areintended to be merely illustrative of two different types ofhighlighting that can be employed to highlight the various letters 24 inthe input portion 28. The same can be said for the exemplary firsthighlighting 66, which is represented herein by the exemplary box, andthe second highlighting 72, which is in the exemplary form of a higherdegree of brightness and is represented herein by the exemplary radiallyextending brightness lines. The same can be further said about fifthhighlighting 82 that will be described in greater detail below.

That is, numerous different types of highlighting of letters 24 can beenvisioned. For instance, some of the types of usable highlighting wouldcomprise highlighting based upon brightness, size, color, contrast,objects such as circles and boxes surrounding the letters 24, bolding offonts, italicization or other alteration of fonts, underlining ofcharacters, and other types of highlighting, any one or more of whichcan be provided alone or in various combinations. In a mechanicalkeyboard, various types of lighting such as electroluminescent lightingor other backlighting can be employed. It thus is noted that theexemplary types of highlighting depicted and described herein areexemplary only and are not intended to be limiting.

FIG. 3 depicts the handheld electronic device 2 of FIG. 1, except afterthe additional actuation of the virtual key 42 <OP> immediately afterthe actuations of the string of virtual keys 42 <TY> <GH> <ER>. Sincethe default output 58 is now “thro”, such as might be an initial portionof the language object 18 corresponding with the word “through”, theletters 24 “T” “H” “R” and “O” have received first highlighting 66 asbeing indicative of the default input path. As such the letter 24 “R” inFIG. 3 has received the first highlighting 66 that had previously beenapplied to the letter 24 “E” in FIG. 1 where it had represented that theletter 24 “E” of the actuated virtual key 42 <ER> was considered to be apart of the default input path thereof, as was indicated by the defaultoutput 58 thereof. As such, it can be seen that if the default languageobject 18 changes during the course of a string of input memberactuations, the highlighting in the input portion 28 of the variousletters 24 can likewise change.

The letter 24 “R” in FIG. 3 additionally has third highlighting 76,applied thereto to indicate that the letter 24 “R” is a predictivelinguistic element 74, such as for the language object 18 “theory”.Similarly, the letter 24 “L” has third highlighting 76 applied theretoto indicate that the letter 24 “L” is a predictive linguistic element74, such as for the language object 18 “theology”. It thus can be seenthat the identified predictive linguistic elements 74 need not belimited to those that follow the currently highlighted default inputpath, and rather can enable the user to enter text along a differentpath than is currently highlighted.

FIG. 3A is similar to FIG. 3 but depicts the letter 24 “T” as beingunhighlighted even though it is the first letter 24 of the currentdefault output 58 of FIG. 3. Such an absence of highlighting of theletter 24 “T” is indicative of any of a number of optional features thatcan be provided on the handheld electronic device 2. For instance, thehandheld electronic device 2 may be configured such that only a certainnumber of current and immediately preceding letters 24 of the defaultoutput 58 receive first highlighting 66. That is, the letter 24 “T” mayhave become unhighlighted upon actuation of the virtual key 42 <OP>.This may be provided in order to avoid cluttering the input portion 28with too many of the letters 24 being highlighted or for other purposes.Alternatively, the handheld electronic device 24 may be configured suchthat certain of the first highlighting 66 disappears depending upon arhythm of typing by the user. For instance, as the frequency of inputmember actuations increases, the duration of time during which a letter24 of the default output 58 retains its first highlighting 66 decreases.In such a situation, FIG. 3A could be said to represent a situationwherein the user was typing with a faster rhythm than the rhythm withwhich the user was typing in FIG. 3.

A similar feature can be provided by altering the highlighting from aninitial highlighting to a default highlighting in response to certainevents. For instance, the second highlighting 72 could be altered fromsuch second highlighting 72, i.e., an initial highlighting, to anabsence of such highlighting or to a different highlighting, i.e., adefault highlighting, after a certain duration of time or after anactuation of another virtual key 42. For example, it can be seen betweenFIG. 1 and FIG. 3 that the second highlighting 72 applied to the letter24 “E” has changed in FIG. 3 to an absence of the second highlighting72. Such an absence of highlighting or a different highlight could beprovided as a default highlight. It is noted for the sake ofcompleteness that in FIG. 3 the letter 24 “E” is depicted as beingdevoid of any highlighting whatsoever. That is, the first highlighting66 has likewise been removed therefrom. It is noted that with adifferent virtual key 42 actuation the second highlighting 72 that hadbeen applied to the letter 24 “E” in FIG. 1 could have changed from itsinitial highlighting in FIG. 1 to its default highlighting in FIG. 3,i.e., an absence of the second highlighting 72, without also removingthe first highlighting 66.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 except depicting as an additionalinput member actuation an actuation of the virtual key 42 <ER>immediately after the series of actuations of the virtual keys 42 <TY><GH> <ER>. Since in FIG. 4 the default output 58 is “ther”, such asmight correspond with the language object 18 representative of the word“there”, the letter 24 “R” is now the current linguistic element 68 inFIG. 4 and thus has both the first and second highlightings 66 and 72applied thereto. The letter 24 “E” is no longer the current linguisticelement, and thus it no longer has the second highlighting 72 appliedthereto, although it retains its first highlighting 66 since it remainsa part of the default output 58 of FIG. 4. It is noted that the letter24 “E” in FIG. 4 additionally has the third highlighting 76 appliedthereto since such letter is now a predictive linguistic element 74 inFIG. 4, such as would indicate that the next input letter 24appropriately could be the letter 24 “E” by actuating the virtual key 42<ER>, such as might spell the word “there”.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, except depicting the result of anadditional actuation of the virtual key 42 <ER>. The default output 58in FIG. 5 has become the word “there” and thus the letter 24 “E” hasbecome the current linguistic element 68 and second highlighting 72 hasbeen applied thereto. It is further noted, however, that the letter 24“E” further has fourth highlighting 80 applied thereto as isrepresentative of the relative frequency with which the letter “E”appears in the default output 58. That is, the letter 24 “E” appearstwice in the default output 58 “there”, as compared with the otherletters 24 in “there” which appear only once therein.

It can further be seen from FIG. 5 that the word “three” is a variantoutput 60 and is itself a complete word. Since a plurality of completewords, i.e., ‘there” and “three”, correspond with the string of inputmember actuations and each consist of a quantity of letters 24 equal tothe number of input member actuations in the string, a fifthhighlighting 82 is applied in the input portion 28 to the letters 24 ofthe default output 58. Such fifth highlighting 82 is represented in anexemplary fashion as an additional box drawn about such letters 24 tothereby represent in combination with the first highlighting 66 a doublebox around each letter 24 of the default output 58. Such fifthhighlighting 82 could be of any nature whatsoever, whether applied tothe letters 24 in the input portion 28 or highlighting applied elsewhereon the handheld electronic device 2. Such fifth highlighting 82indicates to the user the existence of an alternative complete word asan alternative to the default output 58. In this regard, such fifthhighlighting 82 may be provided automatically upon the identification oftwo complete words corresponding with the string of input memberactuations, or can be contingent upon the frequency values of the twolanguage objects 18 being above a predetermined threshold and/or thedifference in frequency values being below another predeterminedthreshold.

While each of the letters 24 of the default output 58 are indicated inthe input portion 28 as having the first highlighting 66 applied theretosimultaneously, it is noted that such first highlighting 66 and/or otherhighlighting could be applied in the input portion 28 on a sequentialbasis to the letters 24 of the default output 58. That is, in theexample depicted in FIG. 5, the letter 24 “T” in the input portion 28would have the first highlighting 66 applied thereto, followed by theletter 24 “H” in the input portion 28 having the first highlighting 66applied thereto. Immediately subsequent would occur application of thefirst highlighting 66 to the letters 24 “T”, “R”, and “E” in that order.The handheld electronic device 2 could be configured to repeat theseries of sequential application of first highlighting 66 in the inputportion 28 to the letters 24 of the default output 58, if desired.Moreover, the handheld electronic device 2 could be set up such thatonly one of the letters 24 of the default output 58 would have the firsthighlighting 66 applied thereto at any one time, such as would result inan appearance of the first highlighting 66 being shifted from one letter24 to the next in the default output 58. Alternatively, the firsthighlightings 66 of the letters 24 in the default output 58 could becumulative, depending upon the desires and needs of the user.

It is further noted that such repetitive application of highlighting tothe letters 24 in the default output 58 could occur at all times, orcould be configured to occur only upon detecting a finalization input,such as could be provided by actuating the <SPACE> key 48. In the lattersituation, upon detection of the finalization input, the firsthighlighting 66 would switch to the sequential type mentioned above,either once sequentially or repetitively sequentially until anadditional input is detected. In the event of detecting a finalizationinput, the default output 58 is output at the text input component 52.Also, the string of input member actuations that resulted in the inputof the aforementioned default output 58 would be cleared from memory tomake room for additional input member actuations.

FIG. 6 depicts another aspect of the disclosed and claimed concept.Specifically, in some circumstances a focus of the processor apparatus 4may be on a field of a particular type, such as a password input field84. In such a situation, it may be desirable to suspend operation of theletter confirmation system or to provide only minimal confirmation ofthe letters 24 being input. FIG. 6 depicts a textual input entered inthe password input field 84 with only a minimal, i.e., short duration,confirmation in the input portion 28 of each such input letter 24. Forinstance, FIG. 6 depicts the letter 24 “H” having first highlighting 66applied thereto, and further depicts the letter 24 “H” being outputwithin the password input field 84. The three asterisks preceding theletter 24 “H” represent three preceding letters 24 that were input as aresult of three actuations of virtual keys 42. Such three input memberactuations preceding input of the letter 24 “H” are each indicatedgenerically by an asterisk in the password input field 84 but do notreceive any sustained highlighting in the input portion 28. The firsthighlighting 66 applied to the letter 24 “H”, or applied to anypreceding letter 24, may appear for a duration on the order of onesecond or less, depending upon the needs of the user. Such aconfiguration thus advantageously provides a letter confirmation systembut provides it only to a minimal extent to protect the privacy of theuser while still providing confirmation of the input being provided tothe password input field 84.

An improved method in accordance with the disclosed and claimed conceptthat can be executed on the handheld electronic device 2 is depictedgenerally in FIG. 7. Processing begins with the detection of an input,as at 204. It is then determined, as at 208, whether the input was afinalization input, such as would result from an actuation of the<SPACE> key 48, an actuation of an <ENTER> key, a click actuation of atrack wheel or a trackball, or an actuation of another finalizationinput member. If it is determined at 208 that the input was, in fact, afinalization input, processing continues, as at 212, where the defaultoutput 58 is output as a word at the text input location 52, andhighlighting is applied in a sequential fashion in the input portion 28to the letters 24 that correspond with the word in the text inputlocation 52. Processing thereafter continues to 204 where additionalinput can be detected.

If, however, it is determined at 208 that the input was not afinalization input, processing continues, as at 216, where one or morelanguage objects 18 that correspond with the input string areidentified. In this regard, and as suggested above, a language object 18having at least an initial portion of letters 24 that are consistentwith the letters of the string of input member actuations is consideredto correspond with the string of input member actuations, i.e., theinput or the input string. It is then determined, as at 220, whethermultiple language objects each have a length equal to that of the inputstring. If not, processing continues to 224 where a default languageobject 18 is identified from among the various language objects 18 thatwere identified at 216. The default language object 18 is, in thepresent exemplary embodiment, identified at 224 on the basis of havingassociated therewith a frequency object 20 having a relatively greatestfrequency value when compared with the other identified language object18 and their associated frequency objects 20.

Processing thereafter continues to 228 where a current linguisticelement 68 is identified within the default language object 18. That is,a current input member actuation is an actuation of the most recentlyactuated virtual key 42. The letter 24 assigned to the most recentlyactuated virtual key 42 and which is consistent with a sequentiallycorresponding letter 24 in the default output 58 is the currentlinguistic element.

Processing thereafter continues to 232 where the current linguisticelement 68 is highlighted with first and second highlighting 66 and 72.The first highlighting can, for example, be representative of the factthat the current linguistic element 68 is a letter 24 in the defaultoutput 58, and the second highlighting 72 can be representative, forinstance, of the current linguistic element 68 being the most recentlyinput letter 24. Processing thereafter continues to 236 where firsthighlighting 66 is applied to at least some of the preceding letters 24of the default output 58, if any. In this regard, it is understood thatthe quantity of preceding letters 24 in the default output 58 to whichsuch first highlighting 66 is applied can vary depending upon, forexample, the frequency of typing by the user, a preset limit on thenumber of letters 24 which should receive highlighting, and the like.

Processing thereafter continues to 240 where a predictive linguisticelement 74, if any, may be identified in the current language object 18.Thereafter, as at 244, any such predictive linguistic element 74receives third highlighting 76.

Processing thereafter continues to 248 where it is determined whether ornot any language objects 18 which were identified at 216 remainunprocessed, i.e., have not been evaluated to identify a predictivelinguistic element 74 therein that desirably might be highlighted in theinput portion 28. If at 248 any such unprocessed language object 18 isdetermined to remain, processing continues, as at 252, where it isdetermined whether or not the frequency value of the frequency object 20associated with such a language object 18 is above a predeterminedthreshold. If the frequency is determined at 252 to be above suchthreshold, processing continues, as at 256, where the predictivelinguistic element 74 of the default language object 18 or the nexthighest frequency language object 18 is redisplayed with third andfourth highlighting 76 and 80. That is, such a predictive linguisticelement 74 is now being redisplayed additionally with fourthhighlighting 80 indicative of a relatively high frequency of suchpredictive linguistic elements 74 based upon additional predictivelinguistic elements 74 being identified in other language objects 18.Processing thereafter continues to 240 where the additional predictivelinguistic element 74, if any, can be identified for possible output, asat 244.

It is noted that the frequency threshold analysis at 252 is purelyoptional, it being noted that low frequency predictive linguist elements74 desirably might be suppressed from highlighting in the input portion28 in order to avoid distraction. If the frequency is determined at 252to not be above the threshold, processing continues, as at 204, whereadditional input can be detected. Similarly, if it is determined at 248that no unprocessed identified language objects remain, processcontinues, as at 204, where additional input can be detected.

If it is determined at 220 that multiple language objects 18 do, infact, have a length equal to that of the input string, processingcontinues, as at 260 where a default language object 18 is identified,typically on the basis of a relatively highest frequency value.Processing thereafter continues to 264 where the linguistic elements ofthe default language object receive, in the input portion 28, fifthhighlighting 82. It is understood, however, that such fifth highlighting82 could be provided in other fashions and in other locations withoutdeparting from the disclosed concept.

It thus can be seen that the instant letter confirmation systemadvantageously facilitates text input by providing confirmation ofletters being input on the handheld electronic device 2, as is reflectedin a default output 58. The letter confirmation system furtherfacilitates text input by providing predictive linguistic elements 74that would be appropriate next inputs. It is reiterated that the variousexemplary highlighting techniques depicted and described herein can bereplaced with numerous other types of highlighting. It is further notedthat changes in highlighting can occur either transitionally, i.e.,gradually, or can occur in a more abrupt fashion, depending upon theneeds of the user. For instance, when a given highlighting changes froman initial highlight to a default highlight, such change can eitheroccur abruptly between the initial and default highlights, or cangradually shift between the initial and default highlights dependingupon the needs of the user, without departing from the present concept.

While specific embodiments of the disclosed and claimed concept havebeen described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in theart that various modifications and alternatives to those details couldbe developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure.Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to beillustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the disclosed andclaimed concept which is to be given the full breadth of the claimsappended and any and all equivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. An input method for a user device comprising aprocessor, a memory, and a plurality of keys, wherein the memory hasstored therein a plurality of objects comprising a plurality of languageobjects and a plurality of linguistic elements, at least some of thelanguage objects each comprising a number of the linguistic elements,the method comprising: detecting an input comprising a number of keyselections including a current key selection; identifying linguisticelements corresponding to the key selections; identifying a languageobject having at least an initial portion that corresponds with thelinguistic elements of the input; identifying in the language object apredictive linguistic element that is positioned in the language objectat a location adjacent and subsequent to a current linguistic elementcorresponding to the current key selection; and highlighting thepredictive linguistic element on a key.
 2. The method of claim 1,further comprising identifying as the language object a plurality oflanguage objects each having an initial portion that corresponds withthe linguistic elements of the input, identifying as said predictivelinguistic element a predictive linguistic element for each of theplurality of language objects, and highlighting as the predictivelinguistic element a plurality of the predictive linguistic elements onthe at least some keys.
 3. The method of claim 2 wherein at least someof the language objects each have a frequency value associatedtherewith, and further comprising varying the highlighting of theplurality of predictive linguistic elements according to the frequencyvalues of the language objects from which the plurality of predictivelinguistic elements are obtained.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein theobjects further comprise a disambiguation routine executable on theprocessor, and the method further comprises: employing a disambiguationroutine to identify as a default language object a language objecthaving at least an initial portion that corresponds with the linguisticelements of the input; and responsive to each key selection of theinput, highlighting, on the at least some keys, a linguistic elementassigned to the selected key that is consistent with a correspondinglypositioned linguistic element in the default language object.
 5. Themethod of claim 4, further comprising, with each successive keyselection of the input, highlighting, on the at least some keys, alinguistic element that is assigned to a key of each of a number ofimmediately preceding key selections and that is consistent with acorrespondingly positioned linguistic element in the default languageobject.
 6. The method of claim 5, further comprising identifying as saiddefault language object a different language object than that which wasidentified as a preceding default language object having at least aninitial portion that corresponded with a portion of the linguisticelements of the input preceding the current key selection and,responsive to the current key selection, highlighting, on the at leastsome keys, a different linguistic element than was highlighted inaccordance with the preceding default language object.
 7. The method ofclaim 5, further comprising employing a frequency of key selections ofthe input to determine a quantity of keys preceding the current keyselection for which a linguistic element is highlighted, wherein thequantity increases as said frequency decreases.
 8. The method of claim5, further comprising employing as said highlighting an initialhighlighting that changes to a default highlighting after an interval,and employing a frequency of key selections of the input to determine aduration of the interval, wherein the duration increases as saidfrequency decreases.
 9. The method of claim 5, further comprisingemploying as said highlighting of the linguistic element that isassigned to the key of each of the number of immediately preceding keyselections both a first highlighting and a second highlighting, thefirst highlighting varying with a quantity of times the linguisticelement exists in the initial portion of the default language object,the second highlighting varying with a recency of actuation of the key.10. The method of claim 5, further comprising providing as saidhighlighting a repetitive sequential highlighting of each saidlinguistic element that is assigned to said key of each of the number ofimmediately preceding key selections.
 11. The method of claim 4, furthercomprising: determining that a focus of the processor is on a passwordinput field; and responsive to each key selection of the input,providing as said highlighting a temporary highlighting of saidlinguistic element assigned to the key followed by an absence ofhighlighting of said linguistic element.
 12. The method of claim 4,further comprising determining that the quantity of key selections inthe input and the quantity of linguistic elements in the defaultlanguage object are equal, and responsive thereto, highlighting afinalization key.
 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the highlightingfurther comprises: highlighting the current linguistic element with afirst highlighting on a key corresponding to the current key selection;and highlighting the predictive linguistic element with a secondhighlighting different than the first highlighting on a keycorresponding to the predictive linguistic element.
 14. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising: detecting a finalization input; outputtingat a text input location on the output portion a word corresponding withthe input; and sequentially highlighting on the at least some keys thelinguistic elements corresponding with the word.
 15. The method of claim1, further comprising determining that the input corresponds with twolanguage objects each having a quantity of linguistic elements equal tothe quantity of key selections in the input and, responsive thereto,providing another highlight.
 16. A user device comprising: a processorapparatus comprising a processor and a memory in electroniccommunication with one another, the memory having stored therein aplurality of objects comprising a plurality of language objects and aplurality of linguistic elements, at least some of the language objectseach comprising a number of the linguistic elements; and an interfaceapparatus having a plurality of keys; the memory further having storedtherein a number of routines which, when executed on the processor,cause the user device to perform operations comprising: detecting aninput comprising a number of key selections including a current keyselection; identifying linguistic elements corresponding to the keyselections; identifying a language object having at least an initialportion that corresponds with the linguistic elements of the input;identifying in the language object a predictive linguistic element thatis positioned in the language object at a location adjacent andsubsequent to a current linguistic element corresponding to the currentkey selection; and highlighting the predictive linguistic element on akey.
 17. The user electronic device of claim 16, wherein the memoryfurther comprises a disambiguation routine executable on the processor,and wherein the operations further comprise: employing thedisambiguation routine to identify as a default language object alanguage object having at least an initial portion that corresponds withthe linguistic elements of the input; and responsive to each keyselection of the input, highlighting, on the at least some keys, alinguistic element assigned to the selected key that is consistent witha correspondingly positioned linguistic element in the default languageobject.
 18. The user electronic device of claim 16 wherein thehighlighting further comprises: highlighting the current linguisticelement with a first highlighting on a key corresponding to the currentkey selection; and highlighting the predictive linguistic element with asecond highlighting different than the first highlighting on a keycorresponding to the predictive linguistic element.
 19. The userelectronic device of claim 16 wherein the operations further comprisedetermining that the input corresponds with two language objects eachhaving a quantity of linguistic elements equal to the quantity of keyselections in the input and, responsive thereto, providing anotherhighlight.
 20. The user electronic device of claim 16 wherein theinterface apparatus comprises a touch screen, the touch screencomprising a detecting component structured to provide an input to theprocessor apparatus responsive to a key selection, the touch screenadditionally comprising a display component structured to provide visualoutput, the displaying component being structured to display aparticular linguistic element and to display a highlighting of theparticular linguistic element, the detecting component being structuredto provide an input to the processor apparatus responsive to a selectionof the particular linguistic element.